Love is Immortality
by Ellasphere
Summary: Tom Riddle made it his life mission to search for immortality and gave up the only thing he ever held dear in the process. The thing which could grant his dearest wish. That thing was Minerva McGonagall.


**AN: This is my first real attempt at a multi-chapter fic so if it is a bit slow of the ground please don't kill me. This story is basically going to follow the romance of Tom Riddle and Minerva McGonagall when they were at school together. I am currently unsure of the middle bit but I have the ending written in my head. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything associated with it. **

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Gryffindor and Slytherin. One bares the traits of courage, daring, nerve and chivalry whilst the other embodies ambition, cunningness and a highly developed sense of preservation. Complete opposites. Their differences causing a deep rift which no bridge could cross. Or could it? After all, they say opposites attract.

Minerva McGonagall was the perfect Gryffindor. Head Girl, Quidditch Captain and star Chaser, straight A's in all subjects, a registered animagus at the age of sixteen and on a first name basis with the great Albus Dumbledore, her Transfiguration Professor and Head of House. She came from a long line of great wizards and witches and was a descendent of Rowena Ravenclaw. In fact her whole family had been Ravenclaw's so it came as quite a surprise when she was sorted into Gryffindor. Nevertheless, she promised herself; on that first of September that she would be the finest witch Gryffindor had ever seen. And she was. She was everything a Gryffindor should be; kind, warm-hearted, brave and intelligent. Perfect. Or was she?

Tom Riddle was the perfect Slytherin. Head Boy, School Hero, Parseltongue speaker, revered by almost everyone like a God, a member of the elite Slug Club and on a first name basis with its creator Horace Slughorn, his Potions Master and Head of House. He was fanatical about his heritage being a descendent of Salazar Slytherin and had inherited his most famous trait: the ability to speak Parseltongue. Upon being sorted, the hat merely grazed his head before yelling out the chosen placement of Slytherin. Tom Riddle decided then that he was going to be the greatest wizard Slytherin had ever seen. And he was. He was everything a Slytherin should be; clever, manipulative, cunning with a clear ambition. Perfect. Or was he?

They both shared a secret. A secret that they would take to the grave. Each for different reasons. For Minerva it was the scandal that it would bring about, effectively smearing her name and damaging her reputation forever. Albus wouldn't look at her the same way. He would see her as a traitor and a liar. So she said nothing. For Tom it was the humiliation that would arise if his followers saw him as anything but the cold-hearted monster they believed him to be. Lord Voldemort loved no one. Especially not Albus Dumbledore's favourite Gryffindor witch. So he said nothing.

Once upon a time, many years ago Thomas Marvelo Riddle fell in love with a raven-haired Gryffindor by the name of Minerva McGonagall. It began innocently enough. He would often find himself glancing at her from the Slytherin table in the Great Hall as she ate, usually accompanied by friends. In this respect he was not alone. Minerva was a striking young witch with waist length ebony tresses; she did not yet wear it in a bun, alabaster skin and full crimson lips. However, her most stunning features where her eyes. Emerald with small flecks of onyx and gold. They betrayed her every emotion be it joy or sorrow. Look hard enough and you could decipher her innermost feelings. Over the years Tom became very practiced at this skill. Tom himself wasn't lacking in the looks department. Before he became the waxy, distorted figure with blood red eyes that we are all familiar with he was a tall handsome boy with jet black hair, dark eyes and clearly defined muscles.

But it was not only her beauty that attracted him. There were many other beautiful girls in the school which he could have if he wished but she was different. Her intelligence and raw power set her apart as did her morals and standards. She was a challenge. Tom liked a challenge. With victory came power and social standing and Tom so desperately wanted to be elevated above his peers. So he told himself that the only reason he spied on her doing her homework in the library and followed her between classes was to prove that he had the power to manipulate and control even the prim and proper Head Girl.

Soon it became an obsession. He would slip into the Gryffindor common room behind her, hidden with an invisibility cloak and spend hours watching her go about her business whether it be playing chess or merely talking to her friends. All of this he did without arousing any suspicion. A couple of months into the year, on a cold November night whilst sitting by the Gryffindor common room fire Tom came to the realization that this was no longer just a game. Somehow, in the past few months Tom's hate for Minerva McGonagall and manifested into something more chilling. He was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with her. Tom decided that for now at least he would say nothing and resign himself to watching her in secret just like he had been.

It was December now and the majority of the school had gone home for the Christmas holidays. Tom had as always opted to stay behind along with a handful of other students. The only Gryffindor remaining was indeed the object of Tom's affections. Minerva. Snow had fallen throughout the night giving everything a mystical and magical look. All but two of the students where having a violent snowball fight outside under teacher supervision. Minerva McGonagall was in the transfiguration classroom practicing her animagus transformation and as usual she was unknowingly being watched. Tom had seen her change several times in the past months but she could only her form for a few seconds. This time was no different. However, Tom wasn't paying attention to the magic but rather her. The way the sun shone on her hair giving the appearance of a halo and the way it gave her pale skin a pink tinge. He wanted to reach out and touch it just to check that she was real and not an angel sent down from heaven.

Deciding that this was the perfect opportunity to set his plan into action he made a move. Silently removing the Invisibility Cloak he crept up behind her and placing his hand on her shoulder. As he expected she leapt into the air screaming. Spinning round she found herself face to face with the School Hero and Head Boy a few centimetres separating them. They were so close that she could feel his warm breath on her icy skin and he could see the individual flecks of colour in her eyes.

"What are you doing here Riddle?" Minerva whispered with touch of hostility. After all it was common knowledge throughout the school that Minerva McGonagall detested a certain Slytherin. He was, really her only rival.

"Observing. Your transformation is really coming on though I must say that I prefer you in human form. Much more desirable." He whispered back, emphasising the last word. Being in such close proximity with the woman that he had spent the past few months stalking was driving him crazy. Minerva visibly shuddered at his last few words before replying.

"Your words imply that you have been watching me for a considerable period of time. Who knew that Mr Slytherin would find a Gryffindor girl desirable never mind stalk her. How scandalous." Tom couldn't help but laugh at her words.

"I think if you asked around you would find a large number of boys in this school from all the houses find you attractive. I merely acted on my feelings for I am no coward." He answered smugly. The look on Minerva's face at his words was priceless. She was dumbstruck, at a loss for words. She finally managed to stutter.

"You have feelings for me? When he nodded she repeated incredulously "You, Tom Riddle a proud Slytherin have feelings for me, Minerva McGonagall a Gryffindor?" He nodded again. After a moment pause Minerva spoke once more, more firmly this time. "Well that may be all well and good but I have no feelings towards you whatsoever. You may as well not exist. So I would appreciate it if you would stop stalking me and go do something more useful to the world because I tell you now you are wasting your time." Finishing her little speech she turned to pick up her bag and headed for the door intending to practice her transformation in the Gryffindor Common Room. But when she turned around she found her way barred by a rather solid human shaped object. "Move Riddle."

"No." he objected. "I'm going to stay here until you admit that you feel some emotion towards me."

"Well you can move then because I am currently annoyed at you and I do believe that should you look 'annoyance' up in the dictionary you will see that it is most definitely an emotion. Now move." When he showed no intention of stepping aside she tried a different tactic. A powerful kick to the groin sent him sprawling to the floor clearing her way out. Just before she passed over the threshold a pair of hands encircled her ankle causing her to tumble to the floor, landing on a rather soft object. For the second time in five minutes, Minerva found herself at close quarters with Tom Riddle. The words of anger she meant to direct towards him after such a blatant assault died on her tongue as she gazed into his dark, mysterious eyes. Within them she could find no trace of sinful intent like she expected but what could only be described as unconditional love.

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**Reviews make me happy and happiness makes the world go round. I will post the next chapter 1. When I get at review so that I know that I am not wasting my time and 2. When I have actually written it :)**


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